


of wind and fire

by NeverNothing



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Arranged Marriage, Fluff, Kinda?, M/M, Others Mentioned - Freeform, Pining, mentioned reincarnation, pretty heavily inspired by chinese dramas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25671997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverNothing/pseuds/NeverNothing
Summary: Kuroo, who was still standing in front of the bed Kenma was resting on, smiled at him. “You ascended.”A sense of deja-vu enveloped Kenma. Kuroo had said those exact same words the last time, too. Despite this being his third ascension, he had lost consciousness every time. Distantly, he wondered what kind of High God it made him – was his cultivation laughable? Or was the ascension too powerful for his body to handle?or: my fill for KenmaShipWeek Day 3: Gods and Goddesses AU & Day 7: Soulmate AU
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 7
Kudos: 77
Collections: Kenma Ship Week 2020





	of wind and fire

**Author's Note:**

> This work was inspired by the countless chinese dramas I have watched within the last half year - notably Ashes of Love and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms so this world loosely resembles the world depicted in those two dramas.
> 
> and also once again: thank you [christy](https://twitter.com/kodzukuro) for helping out!

“Kenma! Can you hear me?” The voice sounded far away. It reminded Kenma of something - of  _ someone - _ but his head was feeling too fuzzy to place it. “Are you alright?”

He wanted to reach out to that voice, he felt drawn to it, as though it was this tone that he had been searching for. His heart was pulling in its direction but his body couldn’t follow while his entire being  _ craved _ for it. As if his body was covered in gaping wounds, bleeding him out, he was missing what made him whole. Like losing the essence of himself, Kenma had lost all feelings, he was swimming in a dead sea. 

Then, another spike of pain hit and everything disappeared.

When Kenma regained his senses, it was accompanied by a surge of internal energy by far surpassing the amount he was used to. His limbs felt light, a stark contrast to the prior numbness. His fingers were twitching as he reclaimed ownership of his body. Everything was too bright, and he felt light-headed, with no sense of where he was. The surface beneath him was soft, reminding him of the silken fabrics of his home. At the same time, he could feel his element reach out to him, a gentle breeze caressing his skin, even more vivid than ever before.

Along with the call of his element, there was something else pulling at him, at the core of his spirit.

It was the first instinct that made him speak up. “Kuro?”

In the far back of the room, hidden from Kenma’s sight, he heard the rustle of movement. The sound of a teacup being set down, then rapid steps. The white canopy that shielded his resting space from outside view was pushed aside quickly, impatiently.

The first thing Kenma saw was the sleeve of an anthracite-colored robe, tied securely by an also black belt around a lean waist. Following the movement, Kenma’s eyes rose upwards, noticing the colorless embroidery on the hem of the robe that crossed the chest and led back to the belt. Wide shoulders, an adam’s apple that bobbed with a swallow, the sharp lines of a chin and the unmistakable mess of hair.

Kenma recognized it at once.

Kuroo met him with a crooked grin. “Hey. Finally awake?”

The pressure that had been weighing him down, that had made his heart sink, the pull at his core, disappeared when he recognized the familiar lines of Kuroo’s face, the familiar lines of his body and felt the all too familiar warm aura he exuded. Like a chasm that was unlocked, his breath felt deeper, it flowed easier, and the endless abyss sealed itself again to the painlessly forgettable back of his mind.

Kenma smiled. It had been a long time since he had last seen Kuroo, he had missed him.

But then, as Kenma considered him with a closer look, he angled his head. “You seem different.”

“Just your imagination. It was you who spent the last few hours unconscious, you know.” And yet, there was a tiredness that radiated within that seemed to originate from his core. The slope of his shoulder was drooping and the hand propped against his waist looked more like a needed support than the eccentric gesture it usually was.

Suddenly, Kenma remembered the voice, the spikes of pain and the darkness. He had been in danger, critically. He understood instantly. Kuroo must have transferred internal energy to him as a means to stabilize his condition, neutralizing its nature beforehand. Using his own core.

Kenma gasped. “Kuro!” His voice was accusatory. “Our internal energies don’t match. You could have  _ died. _ ” 

Died, if he made a mistake neutralizing the energy. Died, if he transferred too much of his energy, sacrifice too much of his life essence to make it compatible with Kenma’s contrary nature.

“It was worth it.” The smile Kuroo sent him was weak, and his eyes seemed tired. Normally, he would never show that kind of weakness. He must have spent a lot of life essence on him.

Momentarily, Kenma considered asking how much - a third of his life essence? But taking a closer look at Kuroo’s weary body, he knew Kuroo would never tell. Even if Kuroo would need to go into isolation, he would drag it out as much as possible to stop Kenma from worrying.

“It was bad, wasn’t it?”

“It was worth it,” Kuroo repeated emphatically. He paused. “Do you remember it? Your trial?”

The memory was hazy, but definitely there. His tongue felt heavy and his throat dry. “Yeah,” he paused, “-but I don’t remember my end. I died, didn't I? Otherwise I wouldn’t be back. How did I get hurt this badly, as an Immortal, a God?”

“A High God.”

“What?” Sitting up was easier than he expected, the surprise quickening his movement.

Kuroo, who was still standing in front of the bed Kenma was resting on, smiled at him. “You ascended.”

A sense of deja-vu enveloped Kenma. Kuroo had said those exact same words the last time, too. Despite this being his third ascension, he had lost consciousness every time. Distantly, he wondered what kind of High God it made him – was his cultivation laughable? Or was the ascension too powerful for his body to handle?

“Ah,” Kenma replied, still in thought. Ascension would explain the lightness he felt as his body was getting used to its new energy. “Was that part of my trial then? My human life?”

“I assume so.”

Kenma groaned and flipped back down, ignoring how improper the action was in front of others. It was only Kuroo anyway. “That was way more painful than ascension to an Immortal or God.”

Taking a seat beside him, patting his cover where Kenma’s knee was resting, Kuroo snorted. “Of course it was. Your ascension to an Immortal was a miracle by itself. You were lucky. Especially since you ascended again not soon after. How could your body possibly handle it?”

Kuroo was right. The lightning he had received back when he became an Immortal had seemed like a joke in comparison to what Kuroo had to go through when he ascended. Kenma had been older than Kuroo was when he first ascended, but he had always been physically weaker. His body had barely recovered, nourished back to health with Kuroo’s help and steady care, when he ascended again. Even at that time, he escaped relatively unscathed, considering the level of his cultivation. An even harsher ascension trial to become a High God might have been necessary to avoid imbalance. Once again, Kenma sighed.

“Ascending to High God that early? Me?” Kenma was only 100,000 years old, still young compared to other High Gods of the Heavenly Realm. Between the two of them, Kuroo had always been regarded as the prodigy, ascending to an Immortal at a young age and earning merit not shortly after.

Humming, Kuroo reached out and brushed the hair that had escaped Kenma’s hairdo aside. Kenma’s attire was in chaos, his hair so much more. It was not appropriate for anyone to see him like that. But as always, Kuroo did not seem to care. His fingertips grazed Kenma’s neck, awfully intimate, before coming to rest on his shoulder. The touch was comforting, nursing the immaterial ache Kenma had woken up with. “Cultivating these past 20,000 years must have paid off, finally.” 

At the reminder, Kenma grimaced. Before his ascension, he had spent the last 20,000 years in isolation, meditating in the ice cave near the boundary to the River of Forgetfulness. During that time, he must have been reborn into the Human Realm and encountered his trial. Considering the age he reached while he was a human and the way time passed in the Heavenly Realm, he must have been gone for a month.

“Can you stand?” The careful question brought him out of his musings. Kuroo’s hand brushed along his arm and took a hold of his bicep to offer support.

Experimentally moving his toes, while his body still felt off, the energy pulsating beneath his skin making him heady, he had full control over his movement. “I think so.”

From where Kuroo was holding on to him, he pulled Kenma up. “Let’s go on a walk then.”

Having just woken up, Kenma was unwilling. He couldn’t remember the last time he had food and he should make sure his appearance was appropriate first.

“It’s good for you.” Kuroo’s grip on his bicep tightened and his expression turned pleading.

In the end, Kenma yielded. “... Fine. Let me change first.” 

As Kenma had instinctively recognized, when he first took a proper look at his surroundings past his bedding, the familiar furniture and decorations of his sleeping chamber awaited him. Even though it had been 20,000 years since he had last seen this space, nothing had changed. The fairy’s that were serving as servants must have cleaned it regularly during his absence.

The bright wood, carved to mimic the movement of his element, the white and light blue linen as well as the black and golden ornaments made him feel at home as if he had never left. The still smelled the same incense, infused with jasmine. A used tea set made out of pure jade lay forgotten on his attending table. It must have been Kuroo’s.

A voice inside his head was screaming at him for being improper, walking around in his undergarments with someone not from his family in his room, but Kenma was neither ashamed nor embarrassed. The situation had been reversed before and Kuroo had not minded. No one would know.

Opening the chest that held his robes, Kenma chose the first one he saw and began the tiring process of getting dressed in layer after layer. Behind him, he heard Kuroo step closer, and he released a sigh of relief when he felt Kuroo tug at his robes to adjust the fit.

The robe Kenma was wearing consisted of multiple translucent and shimmering fabrics of varying color, all of them in shades paler than his skin and suiting his cold nature. Put together, the layers created a light, flowing silhouette. 

Quickly, Kenma fixed his hair into a half-high bun and secured it with a golden ornament that Kuroo had gifted him after his first ascension. Then, he was ready to leave.

Side by side, they left the masonry of Kenma’s courtyard behind them and Kuroo led them into the direction of the Heavenly Plains, nodding to the other deities they met on the way. Apparently, the news of his ascension had spread as Kenma was favored with a new formality.

As always, Kuroo was friendly. In his dark attire, he was easily recognizable, a crass contrast to the light stone that was seen everywhere in the Heavenly Realms and the cream-colored accents of the lanterns.

When they were still small, Kenma once asked him why he had started wearing these dark colors, more suited for war than the Heavenly Realms. Kuroo had replied that like this, it would be easier for Kenma to find him if he got lost again – a frequent occurrence as Kenma had often been preoccupied with his thoughts when they were younger. Back then, and even now, Kenma was not sure if Kuroo was telling the truth but he had accepted the answer anyway. It did make him easily recognizable, as well as the way they dressed in inverted colors filling him with warmth.

Their steps echoed as they left the more active regions of the Heavenly Realm and with Kuroo silently beside him, Kenma finally had space to ponder.

Even though Kenma was not sure where it led him, the traces of an unnamed yearning were lingering. Its intensity had diminished considerably since he had awoken, but the feeling did not leave him completely, still.

In the human world, Kenma had been reborn as the son of a low-rank noble family. Since his birth, he had been sickly and was fighting death after falling into freezing water when he was a six-year-old. Fortunately, he survived, and his health had improved slightly afterwards, too. As the only son of the family, he was supposed to inherit the family name, but his parents and the house elders were worried whether his health would make it possible.

Whenever his life allowed him to, he spent his time studying to live up to his ancestor’s wishes. His weak physique had made it difficult for him to play with other children of noble families and he developed into an outcast, even if highly skilled. He had truly lived a pitiful existence.

It was around that time, when he had just reached adulthood, that this bottomless pit in the cave of his chest had opened up. He had grown restless, in search of  _ something _ he could not place, could not name. Desperately so. The yearning, the longing had become his constant companion, burning a mark into his existence, it was deeper, stronger, than any other human encounter could hope to fill.

The war that had hit the nation and the dire need for more soldiers did not exempt him. To honor his family, he had been called to war and found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. His garrison had withered away at the enemy forcibly cut off their water supply in the city they had been residing in. Food supplies had been running thin, too. Not only the soldiers but also the citizens were heavily debating capitulation. Persuading the soldiers to follow Kenma’s plan to allow the enemy’s army into their city and suffering from their looting, had again almost cost him his life. Making sure to protect as many innocent lives as possible, his strategy had saved their army from the occupation. Poisoning vast forces of the enemy army into immobility, Kenma earned military merit and returned home in glory. 

Without any opportunity to remove himself from the renown he had gathered, to pull back into his role as an outcast, Kenma found himself in the midst of the power play for the throne’s succession despite his family’s rank. He had made the right and the wrong kind of friends.

Then, he had died before he had reached his thirtieth summer, his life cut short abruptly and even now, Kenma could not remember what had caused his death. His memory set out. Maybe he had been poisoned.

The hazy memory left a bitter taste in his mouth. It felt odd, without outside influence, he was supposed to remember every aspect of his trial.

“There is a wistfulness to human existence. Did you know?”

Kuroo chuckled. “And you called me ancient when I said something like this.”

And even though Kuroo was 30,000 years older than Kenma, that was never what he had been referring too.

With a groan, Kenma realized. “I sound like you.”

They were passing the familiar grounds of the heavenly plains now, a sea of blue orchids that must have bloomed during the month he spent in the human world welcoming them. Stopping by the white modular mason railings, Kenma stared at the flowers that seemed to grow among clouds, revealing no ground. The view always took his breath away, even if their full beauty could only be appreciated during the setting sun.

“Well, I went through the six bitterness’s of human life before you did.” And Kuroo had come back changed. Back then, Kenma had not quite understood. He did now. “Well, at least mine wasn’t an ascension trial.”

Kenma hummed, still lost in thoughts. Fingers tracing the cold stone, he considered opening up and decided in favor.

“I still feel – odd.” There was this weird feeling in his chest. It had lessened when he saw Kuroo, when he was back to the heavenly world he belonged to but the unease had not completely disappeared. It still felt like he was missing something vital, gaping in his chest and making his spirit cry out.

“Are you having a hard time adjusting to the energy flow? Ascending to a High God comes with a leap in your cultivation powers. Divine power is not always easy to handle.” 

Kuroo himself knew that best and thus, Kenma did know, too. He had been there when Kuroo had been suffering from a surplus of internal energy that contradicted his nature. It had been Kenma who had controlled that cold energy more matching his own nature until the concoction to resolve it from Kuroo’s core and to turn its temperament was finished. Kuroo would not have survived otherwise, freezing to death.

For a month and without rest, Kenma had extracted bits of the cold energy and bound it to his own essence to conserve Kuroo’s core. The price Kenma had to pay to keep Kuroo alive back then, he compensated in life essence. Taking foreign energy with no barrier intact had hurt his own core but it had been the only way to save him. Both of them had been exhausted after the ordeal. Exhausted, but alive. 

When he had ascended to a High God, a leap of internal energy was expected. But in Kuroo’s case, as the God of Fire, it should have been hot in nature. How Kuroo had received that immense amount of cold energy was still a mystery.

After Kuroo’s ascension, both had spent thousands of years in isolation, to replenish their cultivation. Distantly, Kenma wondered, if it would be the same this time, after his ascension. And whether their interference had disturbed the worldly balance. There would be an even higher price to pay if they did, an unpredictable disaster seething, waiting to break out.

In that case, Sugawara, who was in case of monitoring the stars and the worldly balance, would have surely alarmed them ahead of time. 

Before Kuroo’s ascension to an Immortal, it had also been Sugawara who foresaw the disaster Kuroo’s imbalance of power would bring if he were to ascend and ordered his cleansing. Kuroo had only been 40,000 years, then, when he had to experience humanity’s bitterness to cleanse his energy, far from the age Kenma was now.

“I was worried about you. When I ended my isolation, they told me you had disappeared.”

“Ah,” both of them had been in isolation at the time Kenma encountered his trial, “I am sorry.”

Kuroo only snorted. Then, he assumed a more serious tone. “You couldn’t control it. Seeing you that beat up, though? I finally understand how you must have felt.”

The anxiety and complete powerlessness he had felt. Even though he was a deity, all his power had seemed useless if he couldn’t use it to save Kuroo. Now, the High God must have gone through the same harrowing experience.

“For a moment, I was afraid I might never see you again. Our goodbyes before we went into isolation were too abrupt, too.” Kuroo rested his hand beside Kenma’s, not touching.

After Kuroo’s ascension, they had both been weakened. While Kenma went into isolation in the ice cave to nourish his cultivation, Kuroo went to the Lava River, more fitting for his nature.

Once again, Kenma hummed and nudged Kuroo’s arm, resting his head against Kuroo’s shoulder. “I am here. We are back.”

The deep breath that escaped Kuroo bespoke his relief. Kenma noticed the twitch of Kuroo’s arm and wondered if he wanted to pull him closer. He didn’t move, but soaked in their combined presence. 

The shadow of exhaustion still seemed to haunt Kuroo, but he recovered more quickly than Kenma had anticipated. Feeling himself calm down, Kenma convinced himself that maybe Kuroo did not have to exhaust his own life essence to make sure Kenma was alright.

“Yeah.”

The barely audible flap of wings disrupted their peace. In black and blue, a Heavenly Messenger arrived. The Heavenly Emperor had called for them. 

The path leading up to the open audience hall was as long as it was empty. Climbing the stairs at a slow pace, the high monument with its golden columns and high roof towered them the moment they entered the sphere. The inside was just as imposing. 

Their Heavenly Emperor, Ushijima, ruled among the skies, the view endless and forever covered in light. Golden candle holders framed the carpeted lane up to the throne, alit. 

Ushijima as well as Semi, the reader of Heavenly Signs, were awaiting them, both clad in imperial purple. Something must have happened.

“High God Kenma,” Ushijima greeted him with a nod after acknowledging Kuroo first, “You have awakened. Ascension suits you well.”

“You humble me, Heavenly Emperor Ushijima,” Kenma answered as custom demanded. The forced formality of the place was something he had always loathed but obeyed nonetheless.

After exchanging formalities, Ushijima got straight to the point. It was the part of his character Kenma had always appreciated since it usually meant he could escape the palace hall sooner. “I am glad to see you arrived together. We have received a heavenly sign.”

Sudden fear struck Kenma. Had his worries been justified? Have they been thrown into imbalance again? The circumstances of his ascensions had definitely been questionable. Reaching the level of a High God might have been the tipping point in the scale of destiny. In his panic, it slipped his mind that Sugawara himself was not present. Instead, it was Semi.

“Peonies rained from the Heavenly Sky and the Elder Dragons paid me a visit in my dreams, spelling out the double happiness symbol in wind and fire.” Kenma’s breath hitched. This could only mean one thing, he did not even have to study Heavenly Signs to be able to tell. He chanced a glance at Kuroo and saw him fight back a grin, coming to the same understanding. Kenma relaxed. “After convening with Semi, the reader of Heavenly Signs, and reading the stars in accordance with Sugawara the verdict was clear.

“High God Tetsurou, High God Kenma. Receive my imperial decree.”

With no delay, Kuroo and Kenma sank to their knees, their back a straight line and their hands resting on top of each other before their chest as they awaited the decree.

Ushijima rose and declared. “As my ancestors have divined, I hereby bestow upon you the double happiness of marriage.”

“We thank Your Heavenly Majesty’s graces,” they replied in unison, falling into a deep bow, their voices muffled.

“You may rise,” Ushijima spoke with a smile. Unofficially, it gave them permission to assume a more casual stance. “Gratulations. I have to admit, I would have never thought your relationship would receive a Heavenly Blessing. Your friendship speaks of the contentment a married life can bring you two.”

Similar to the human world, deities of the same gender did not marry. Instead, they pursued the life of a bachelor if they were unwilling to settle down for a life with a goddess. Marriage was a blessing bestowed upon man and woman. Heavenly Signs that spoke of weddings and marriage were the only exception to this rule. Personally, Kenma had never even thought of getting married – not even to Kuroo. Never had he entertained such thoughts at all. He thought it was impossible to see himself married to a Goddess. He had trouble picturing himself enjoying marital bliss, a picture that refused to be assembled in his mind.

On the other hand, Kenma knew that Kuroo longed to get married. Matches had been arranged and countless prospects considered as Kuroo himself was a favorable match but they all fell through in the end. In hindsight, considering the Heavenly Sign that had been perceived, it might have been fate.

Thankfully, Kuroo did not seem disturbed by the heavenly decree they had received, not put off by the thought of marrying Kenma. The grin on his face was as wide as though a miracle had just occurred before his eyes, as if the impossible was no longer a dream. Kenma’s face warmed until he felt like burning.

“Thank you, Ushijima,” Kuroo breathed.

“No need to thank me,” Ushijima replied steadily, “it’s the will of my ancestors. I am sorry you had to wait for so long.”

Kuroo was no longer looking up to the throne, instead he was fixated on Kenma, whose cheeks were still burning. “It was worth it.”

With Kuroo by his side, Kenma left the palace in a daze. The epiphany he had was on the forefront of his mind like a rigid picture that allowed no movement, no other thoughts, except a bare sensation. He would marry Kuroo.

On their way back, they encountered other deities who had heard of the Heavenly Blessing they had received and accepted the gratulations directed their way gracefully. Kenma’s thoughts had progressed to circling around the fact that Kuroo had been waiting for this by the time they once again arrived at Kenma’s courtyard. 

Waiting for him.

“Kenma.” Once again hidden behind the snow-white stone walls of Kenma’s residence, Kuroo stopped, grasping Kenma’s hand. “I just realized. I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts to ask for your opinion.”

“My opinion?” Kenma was still reeling.

“About the marriage. I know you never really intended to get married.”

But now, since it had come to this, Kuroo wanted to know how he felt about it. Sensing the earnestness of Kuroo’s question, Kenma seriously considered it.

It was no secret that they were close. Even Ushijima had commented on it and not a single one of the deities they had met on their way back had seemed surprised by the verdict of the Heavenly Sign. The gratulations had been sincere.

Their first meeting had been set up by their parents who had by now retired. Both had been shy, hiding behind their parents. A far cry from the way they held themselves now. Kenma had only been 500 years old. 

No one had expected them to get along as well as they did. Soon they were inseparable. Even though Kuroo was older than Kenma and thus had more responsibilities to carry from early on due to his exemplary prowess and cultivation, there were countless times Kuroo escaped from his study to play with Kenma.

Their elders must have approved of it, but back then Kuroo thought he was being rebellious. 

By Kuroo’s side, Kenma saw him grow, ascend, risked his own life to save his. Kuroo’s seat in the Council came as no surprise. What they shared were a 100,000 years of friendship, a loyalty that nothing could break, a bond that deep was rare, even in their Realm.

But was that enough for Kenma to be willing to get married to him?

He wouldn’t mind another 100,000 years with Kuroo, he was sure.

Holding on to that thought, Kenma mustered his friend, his fiancé. He was still holding his hand, grasping it lightly, tightening and loosening his hold in irregular intervals. The thumb that was caressing the back of his hand sent shivers down Kenma’s spine. The touch felt intimate. It was warm.

But Kuroo’s shoulders were hunched. Kenma had been silent for a while now and Kuroo had never uttered a word. His gaze had trouble staying focussed, flitting around Kenma’s courtyard as if he was awaiting an attack. He was nervous. And yet, he waited.

Warmth blossomed in Kenma’s chest.

There was a buzz of energy surrounding Kuroo that made it difficult to believe what had transpired that morning. Only remembering that Kenma had just woken up a few hours ago after ascending and almost dying, that Kuroo had used his own core to transfer neutral internal energy to him, it felt so much further in the past than it was. Kuroo’s stance revealed nothing of the exhaustion he should still be feeling.

Instead, the slope of Kuroo’s hunched shoulders emanated a strength Kenma was used to overlooking. It was staring at him blankly now. The lean lines of Kuroo’s body, the rugged allure of his face. Not without reason, Kuroo had been an attractive wedding prospect. Kenma had seen Kuroo partially unclothed countless times already, he knew what the dark robes hid. Once they wed, they would consummate their marriage.

The familiar aura Kuroo exuded seemed to grow more intense, turned into a scalding appeal, calling out to Kenma’s nature.

The warmth in his chest wandered to his belly, turning molten. Kenma would not mind that. If Kuroo was willing. His demeanor, his anticipation, told Kenma he was and it reframed everything.

The picture of marital life that he had been deprived of, that even his imagination could not paint. It revealed itself to Kenma with a staggering force.

No forced pleasantries, no uncomfortable formality. Eating dinner while Kuroo recounted the audience of the Council. Not much might change, they spent the majority of their time together even now but it would adopt a new meaning altogether. Fulfilling marital duty no longer sounded like a chore. Kuroo would always be willing to provide the space Kenma needed until Kenma felt he did not need it at all. Kuroo would make sure Kenma would revel in a life he never thought possible. 

The same way Kenma had woken up with a gaping cave in his chest, the abyss that had only been sealed at the sight of Kuroo, Kenma realized he craved for it. That unnamed yearning, it was steadily unfolding.

It was exhilarating.

Finally, Kenma smiled at the silently waiting man in front of him. “You are all I could possibly hope for, Kuro.”

“Ah.” Kuroo seemed to have trouble apprehending Kenma’s words. His hold of Kenma’s hand slackened and he was staring at Kenma blankly. “So – it’s alright with you?”

“No.” Before Kuroo’s face twisted in heartbreak, Kenma hurried to specify. “I am  _ glad _ it’s you.”

Relief startled a cut-off laughter out of Kuroo and he stumbled back a step. “You gave me a fright there.”

Kenma’s lips quirked up in another smile. Kuroo was flustered and it pleased Kenma more than he would have imagined.

Once Kuroo had collected himself, he reached out for Kenma’s hand again. Kenma offered it voluntarily, resting his palm on the outstretched hand. Kuroo was gathering his thoughts so this time it was Kenma who waited patiently, soaking in the heat of Kuroo’s aura that seemed to grow hotter with each passing moment.

“I want to do this properly then.”

Tilting his head up at Kuroo, Kenma quirked an eyebrow in silent question.

“High God Kenma,” Kuroo assumed a solemn voice that made Kenma giggle, the formality felt foreign. “Would you do me the honor and accept my proposal?”

“What proposal are you talking about, High God Tetsurou?” Kenma’s tone was saturated with intent, dipping low when Kenma uttered his name. It revealed a fraction of the fire Kuroo had started. The visible shiver that shook Kuroo’s body assured Kenma that he had noticed.

Kuroo cleared his throat. “To a life of companionship the way we had intended from the time we were young. To be considered a couple in the eyes of Heaven. I want to give you a life of marital bliss.”

Chuckling, Kenma squeezed his hand. “‘Want to do this properly’, huh. Aren’t you skipping a few steps?”

Grinning at the quip, Kuroo retorted with staggered honesty. “I checked our natal charts ages ago. And I do have the  _ implicit _ consent of your parents. Also, let’s not forget the imperial decree.”

Once again, Kenma felt his cheeks burning. Uncharacteristically shy in front of Kuroo, Kenma averted his eyes. Gaze flickering up to check Kuroo’s expression, his eyes were still bright, extending his arms towards Kenma. With no hesitation, Kenma stepped up and let himself be enveloped.

“I accept.”

Later, when Kuroo had withdrawn to his own courtyard and Kenma was relaxedly drinking tea after dinner, Kenma’s rational side spoke up. Being able to be wedded to Kuroo, against all odds the rules of the Heavenly Realm weighed against them, was a blessing indeed. Kenma was not lying when he said that he could not imagine marrying someone else. 

But something about the timing of the events left him unsettled. A Heavenly Sign just after his ascension, around the time he woke up from an untimely death that hurt his immortal body more than it was supposed to. It was strange.

He wondered what his human destiny had entailed that led to his early death. No matter how much he followed the strings of his memory of his human life, he could not remember. His last moments were a complete blur. There was only one person who could tell.

The halls of the Forlorn Judgement palace were covered in translucent fabrics when Kenma arrived, shimmering in front of golden jewellery. Its appearance had changed a lot since Kenma had last visited but God Satori, who was residing in these halls, was known for his eccentricity and the way he had his servants redecorate the entire courtyard every thousand years. The changes for this millennium seemed to have been finished only recently as servants were still replacing old furniture, dragging it away.

Only the Well of Fortune and the adjacent study has not seen any change since the time Tendou had succeeded his position. That had been 40,000 years ago, forty cycles of his willful idiosyncrasies. No one knew why only this place remained untouched.

Like no other palace in the Heavenly Realm, the hall of Well of Fortune shimmered in a bluish tint over white of smooth stone. The soft ripple of water was its eternal accompaniment, the pale fog unlifting. Despite the outside heat, the air around the Well of Fortune was neither humid nor hot. The pleasant coolness spread to Tendou’s study.

“High God Kenma! What an honor! I am pleased with your visit!” Tendou greeted him once servants had led Kenma to his host. The god himself was lazing by his desk, his leg thrown over the rest of his chair, his fingers conducting a piece of music only he heard. He didn’t bother rising when Kenma entered but he did sit up.

“You were the one who called me here.” Kenma took a seat opposite the other deity.

Tendou snickered. “Straight to business, huh? I like that about you, it reminds me of Wakatoshi.”

Kenma pretended to overhear the overly intimate form of address Tendou regarded their Heavenly Emperor with. It was not only improper but also blasphemous considering the status of Ushijima. Kenma cared none for it. “Why did you call me here?”

Angling his head, Tendou was waving his index fingers. “I think you know why.”

There was only one reason he would be summoned to the halls of the God that ruled over human destiny. “My human trial.”

“Correct–”

But that was not all Kenma’s guess involved. “–It didn’t proceed the way it was intended.”

“Perfect! I am glad you are aware,” Tendou leaned forward in his seat, propping his hands on the desk in front of him to peer at Kenma with wide eyes. “That has never happened before!”

Lounging back in his seat, Tendou assumed a conversational tone. “You were supposed to meet your love of that lifetime that summer. But you died after meeting her for the first time. The reason for your death is curious, too.”

The reason of the death Kenma did not remember. “What do you mean?”

“I am not supposed to do this but I like you.” Tendou stretched his arms out wide and then pointed to a shelf with a lonely scroll. “It’s yours. Take a look.”

Kenma did. The content covered what he remembered himself. Except for the end of the scroll that recounted his life in the Human Realm.  _ Died in his 28th spring due to love sickness _ , it read.

“You had only seen her once, your human match, and did not even show any signs of falling for her. And yet you withered away soon after. It is curious indeed. I didn’t know something like that existed.”

Finally, Tendou left his seat by his desk. “And there is more than that. Not only did you die prematurely, look here.” Tendou pointed to the time Kenma reached adulthood. “Your destiny suddenly changed to a fate of an unnamed longing for a lifetime. Even I was not able to rewrite it again.”

The God of Human Destiny, unable to rewrite human destiny. It made no sense.

But there was another question that had been following Kenma. “Why did my human death damage my immortal body?”

“I don’t know.” Tendou put it frankly. “There is a moment after your human death when you re-adjust to your immortal body that leads you to re-awaken. Your trial was supposed to be overcome after your human death but it seemed you encountered something even graver. It really is a cruel and gruesome trial that was put upon you.”

During the remainder of their conversation, Tendou explained how he determined human fate. It as similar to building rivers, outlining the path of time from the spring of human life to the sea of human death. It was an intricate work that Tendou had mastered, and even deities reborn as humans were subject to this basic principle.

The basic principle that had failed during Kenma’s trial. Followed by another disruption in the basic principle of regaining your immortal energy that erased Kenma’s memory. A disruption Tendou had no answer or explanation for.

Kenma left the halls of the Well of Fortune thoughtful. Something had happened during his trial. Something powerful enough to move destiny.

“Kenma!” 

The High God saw heads of other deities turn. The lack of honorifics was improper, especially considering Kenma was walking along the Righteous Fiend of the Heavenly Realm, the plaza in front of the audience hall. Kenma, however, recognized the voice in an instant. It was too late to feign propriety when it was Kuroo calling out to him.

The deities whose attention he had unwillingly drawn came to same conclusion and turned, creating a delusion of privacy. The news of their bestowed engagement had reached all corners of the Heavenly Realm and those surrounding it. Even divine eyes were spying and loving gossip.

Kuroo and Kenma had not seen each other since they had parted the evening before. An evening spent in a long conversation and embrace that still dyed Kenma’s cheeks red. Kuroo, however, seemed joyous to see him. “What were you doing?”

“I just came back from Forlorn Judgement.”

“Oh? You were visiting Tendou.”

While Kenma and Tendou held no animosity, they were far from being considered friends. Their relationship was difficult to put into words but it was clear to Kuroo that it had not been a social visit. “Yeah.”

“Any reason?”

The day before, Kenma had shared pieces of his thoughts, his worries, with Kuroo. “I was called in. Also, I was just wondering about something regarding my trial and wanted to check.”

“And? Did you gain any insight?”

Staring at the high columns of the Heavenly Palace, Kenma allowed himself a sigh. “Not really.”

Noticing that Kenma’s mood was bordering on glum, tilting into a direction Kuroo disliked, he let out a puff of air.“Huh, what a pity.”

Kenma snorted at his tone. Then he changed the topic. “Why are you here?”

Smiling, Kuroo restrained himself from reaching out to Kenma. They were still outside and Kuroo  _ did _ possess a sense of propriety. “Ushijima had called us in. Apparently, Sawamura saw some signs by the border to the River of Forgetfulness that were not easily identified and wanted to consult with us.” 

Kuroo was referring to the High Council, consisting of every higher-ranking God of the Heavenly Realms and the Realms surrounding it. Kenma himself was only close to few of its members, like King Hajime of the Wolven Realm, the High God Tooru who had withdrawn from the Heavenly Realms to stay beside King Hajime, the High God Daichi, who was charged with overseeing the Crows and who Kenma met often when he visited the Realm as well as High God Keiji who was overseeing all Heavenly Waters. And of course, High God Tetsurou. Kuro. Maybe Kenma would join the council, having ascended to a High God as well.

His duty prevented Kuroo from telling more, the content of their audience was supposed to remain secret. Kenma understood.

But still, the same way it did yesterday when they had been summoned to the palace, fear spiked. As Kenma had feared, was disaster awaiting them? His early ascension was odd indeed. The circumstances of his trial even more so.

“I also stopped by Unhindered Kindness.” Sugawara’s place. “He didn’t have anything new to report.”

Releasing a sigh of relief, Kenma calmed down considerably. This was Kuroo’s way of telling him his work had nothing to do with Kenma’s ascension. Kuroo knew of his worries. It was true that it didn’t add up.

The Heavenly Sign. The sensations Kenma had felt when he had woken up. His trial.

“Kuro. I –,” Kenma stopped himself, unsure what to say. His mind was scrambling, Tendou’s words circling in his head. “I died of  _ lovesickness _ even though I didn't even meet the love of my lifetime.”

That information was new to him, Kuroo’s stance changed, suddenly more alert. “What do you mean?”

“According to Tendou, when I reached adolescence, my human destiny suddenly rewrote itself. There was nothing Tendou could do – the scroll of my human fate, it condoned my human life to be damned with unnamed longing. That’s what lead to my untimely death. I – I still felt it when I woke up –”

Felt it until –

Kuroo turned quiet. “Your adolescence as a human. That was about two weeks ago, right?”

Counting the days in his head, Kenma nodded. A day in the Heavenly Realm equalled a year in the human world.

“That was the time I left isolation.” Kuroo huffed, crossing his arms. “It was weird, I knew immediately that something was off. That you weren’t there.”

Like there was something lacking from his core, a gaping hole, Kenma supplied.

“Time seemed to pass slower without you. It wasn’t even two weeks that I was awake without you but it felt like an eternity.” Kuroo paused. “No words can describe how I felt when you returned.”

But Kenma could. “Like there was a part of you that was putting itself back together?”

Kuroo’s voice was breathless. “Yeah.”

Then he continued. “I didn’t pay attention to it. I have always felt that way about you, feeling more like myself when I am with you. So it was not surprising. Only  _ vivid _ .”

His words stirred something within Kenma. 

Disregarding propriety, Kenma gripped Kuroo’s arm, nails digging through the fabric of Kuroo’s robe as a sense of apprehension settled in. A sense of wonder that followed along with it. He did not, could not, believe where is mind had let him. It was something he had only read about when he had had the opportunity to check files in the Ancient Winter, the Heavenly Collection of Knowledge. During that time, Kenma had not paid much attention to it, his motive for checking these files more pressing. 

Souls that were bound with a tie no destiny could sever. A tie that would survive lifetimes and even shackle down deities. In the human world, they would call it  _ soulmates _ . A destiny that lead to each other, irrevocable, and had to be proven by hardship. An unrequited bond that would lead to a damnation of yearning.

Once the sprout of comprehension had blossomed, they sought to confirm it.

The Ancient Winter was the part of the Heavenly Realms were the knowledge of all Realms was collected. Rows of shelves that kept painstakingly categorized information in a great hall that no natural light ever saw. The scrolls were usually kept out of sight, too dangerous to be made accessible except a chosen few. It was Immortal Hitoka who was tasked with guarding the surplus of worldly and otherworldly wisdom.

It was her that Kuroo and Kenma chose to consult with.

“A soulbond,” Yachi muttered to herself after Kenma had recounted the recent occurrences and his thoughts.

“A – what?” Kuroo inquired. Too much had happened in this short span of time. Kenma’s head was spinning with his earlier realizations and Yachi’s confirmation.

“A soulbond,” Yachi repeated, “a connection engraved in your souls by destiny itself. I have only heard it mentioned before. It’s a mark that claims two souls as a pair, an entity. It makes sense – it would explain your situation.

“The destiny of a soulbond is followed by trials to prove the carriers are worthy of it. To overcome these trials and guide the soulbond to its completion, to unity. It makes total sense!” Yachi’s voice assumed an excited tone, forgetting the usual intimidation she felt when looking at the Fire High God.

“Since your bond was established, your body and spirit were struggling to keep up. It wanted to maintain the equity of your souls to your soulbond to ensure its completion,” she continued, rocking on her feet.

“You hadn’t even ascended to an Immortal when I became a God.” Kuroo mentioned, scrambling to catch up. “It would explain the quick succession of yours if the soulbond strives for equity. The disparity became too great so the soulbond intervened.”

“So, this connection to you, it forced my ascension?” 

Kenma was addressing Kuroo, but Yachi nodded. “I remember how, after his ascension, High God Tetsurou was suffering from energy that went against his nature. It might have been the soulbond wanting to provide you, High God Kenma, with life essence to accelerate your own ascension.”

Kuroo sounded disbelieving. “Through me?”

Yachi nodded, biting her lips, her eyes shifting. “I think so.”

“But that’s impossible,” Kuroo argued, “Transferring energy, life essence, directly between individuals.” Not only was it impossible, but it was also a violation of the Heavenly Law. Kuroo and Kenma had only been able to transfer life essence to each other because of the transmutation their energy went through. Kenma had always been good at seeing grey areas but the cost of it had been great.

“There isn’t much recorded on soulbonds except their existence. I don’t think the soulbond would be able to distinguish between you two. Once your connection was established, it saw you as one entity. A perfect balance. Your own ascension came with an increase of cultivation power, why shouldn’t your partner profit off it? The more powerful the carrier, the less damage exchanging life essence and eternal energy would cause, regardless of nature. Since the soulbond ensures there is no distinction.”

Soaking in all the information, Kenma felt overwhelmed. He turned towards Kuroo. “This is all your fault then.”

With a sputter, Kuroo struggled to defend himself, perplexed at the fast accusation but not taking it to heart. “How did you come to this conclusion? How is it my fault? That cold energy almost killed me.”

“You were the one who started ascending early.” Kenma had not even been 20,000 years old when Kuroo first ascended. It was too early for him to be able to follow, he hadn’t even started cultivating back then.

Aware that the banter was pointless, that it did not matter who started what, Kenma still felt the familiarity of Kuroo’s reaction calm him. A brush against his arm and the gaze that met his. The feeling was mutual.

“It might have been you who triggered the imbalance in his core to begin with, High God Kenma.” The formality of her address was paired with a blubbering giddiness. It might have been her attempt to control her emotions as Yachi overlooked their silent display of intimacy.

“See?” Now, Kuroo’s tone was jeering.

Not reacting to Kuroo’s teasing, Kenma turned his attention to Yachi. “What do you mean?”

“You two are older than I am so I do not actually remember but I have been told that the irregularities in High God Tetsurou’s core–” the omen of disaster that made the cleansing necessary, “were starting around the time your birth had been announced.”

“So, at my birth, my spirit called out to Kuro’s and disrupted his inner balance?”

“Since it was the time of your souls forming their tentative bond, yes. The balance had to be realigned. The mark of the soulbond had already been engraved on you. It led you to be drawn to each other. As I said, the more powerful the carriers, the more intense the exchange between the soulbond. During that time, it started off at an uneven foot and was not yet as strong as it is now so it didn’t cause any trouble during High God Tetsurou’s trial.

“The bond stayed intact when you were in the human world. It was rekindled once it felt the proximity when High God Tetsurou awoke and left isolation–”

“–And caused my death prematurely because my human body was not able to endure the force of the soulbond,” Kenma finished the thought.

Once again, Yachi nodded.

“Are we going to be fine, then?” The bond had caused them to near death multiple times. Seeing Kenma’s unconscious body - it had scared Kuroo.

“We did receive a Heavenly Blessing,” Kenma interjected, sounding thoughtful.

Yachi hummed. “It might signal the end of your soulbond trial.”

“How come Semi did not recognize the nature of the Heavenly Sign?”

The answer was quick. “Up until now, there was no evidence soulbounds actually existed. They were only stories. It doesn’t matter if the Heavenly Sign marked the success of your soulbond trial when only the right interpretation matters.”

“After – surviving our trials, we were bestowed a wedding. It’s our reward.” Kuroo summarized.

“It gives you the legitimate opportunity to complete your soulbond.” Yachi was blushing when she spoke. Kuroo grinned at the implication but Kenma’s cheeks burned, too.

It wasn’t much later that Kuroo and Kenma left the Ancient Winter, exhausted with the emotional turmoil but feeling oddly settled. When Yachi had recovered from her embarrassment, she made them promise to help expand their records on soulbonds for the future generations and the High Gods had no reason to refuse.

The revelation had affected Kenma less than he had initially thought. Contrary, the seed of worry that had been following him, the anxiety of an imbalance powerful enough to wreck the Heavenly Realm, had finally been calmed. 

Kuroo was his other half, his perfect balance. The thought was comforting. Knowing it was destined by the Heavens soothed his soul, assured his inner peace and calmed the turmoil of emotions.

When they left the premises of the ancient library, instead of leading Kenma moved, Kuroo stirred them into a different direction. It didn’t take long for Kenma to recognize the path to the Heavenly Plain.

Kenma had felt it ever since Yachi gave a name to what they were experience. An undeniable pull. The soulbond that desired its completion, their souls that were longing for each other.

Now that he had grown aware of it, he felt it every passing second, tugging him in Kuroo’s direction.

They stopped by the pavilion that crowned the Heavenly Plains. Like the stone walls forming the path, the pavilion was built in white, surrounded by the sea of blue. Standing beneath the canopy of white, Kuroo pulled Kenma in his arms, chest to back. Wordlessly, they watched the play of color. The sun was setting, dying the horizon in colors of reds and oranges. Tints of lilac clouds framed the scenery appearing an endless expanse of vibrant blue. The evening breeze was rustling, the flowers moving in its soft and inviting rhythm. A push and pull Kenma had grown to recognize, created by the coupling of wind and fire.

Leaning back into Kuroo’s back, Kenma sighed. It was his favorite view.

“Kuro,” Kenma broke the comfortable silence.

In reply, Kuroo hummed. “Yeah?”

“The soulbond. It hasn’t even been recorded in our history. Why do you think it’s us?”

“Questioning destiny, huh?” Kuroo chuckled, but then seriously considered his question. “I am not too sure– 

“–But isn’t it because, since it’s us, we would be able to face the trials?”

“Tendou said it was a cruel fate.”

“But with every trial comes an even greater reward,” Kuroo replied simply, pressing a flat hand against Kenma’s stomach. “It was worth it. I got you, didn’t I?”

“Kuro–” Kenma turned, bracing himself against Kuroo’s chest when he set out to retort. But the words died on his lips. 

Any form of protest disappeared as Kenma was captivated by Kuroo’s eyes. The earnestness he was faced with, the pure emotion that was mirrored in his eyes made him defenceless.

Reverently, Kuroo cradled Kenma’s face, warm puffs of air against Kenma’s lips. His voice sounded unsure. “Is this alright?”

Normally, Kenma would care for the sense of propriety he always protected. Right now, it did not seem to matter at all. Kenma’s eyes dropped to Kuroo’s lips, then met his again. “We are to be wedded anyway.”

Not even awaiting Kuroo’s reply, Kenma pulled him in to meet in a kiss. With only the brush of lips, the embers of Kenma’s passion were set alit, stoked by the gentle breath of Kuroo’s sigh against his lips. Tilting his head, pressing closer, he felt something brush against his lower lip, asking for entrance. Willingly, Kenma obliged.

Nipping against Kenma’s lips, their tongues slid together, their mouths moving against each other until embers caught fire. Kenma’s fist clenched against Kuroo’s chest, pushing himself closer. He wanted more.

The sensation of their souls merging, becoming one, an entity with two bodies, this was only a taste of what it would be like. Another gasp as Kuroo did not stop his onslaught on Kenma’s senses. It was incomparable with any ascension Kenma had experienced, the bliss was unrivalled. No human word was rich enough in this pure sensation to even come close to express the intensity Kenma was feeling as their elements met. It burned.

An inferno of wind and fire that swallowed them wholly and left them untouched. Their soulbond was crying in elation.

And once again, peonies were raining down on the Heavenly Realm.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, thank you for reading. I would love to hear your opinion!
> 
> [|@Twitter](https://twitter.com/kentetsurou)


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